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Israel has imposed age restrictions on Palestinian Muslims from the occupied West Bank atÌýJerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, as worshippers mark the first Friday of the Islamic holy month.Ìý

Israel will only permit "a limited number of Muslim worshippers" from the occupied Palestinian territory, aged over 50 with their children aged 12 and under, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu'sÌýoffice said in a statement on Thursday with stringent security measures in place.

There will be no limits for Palestinian citizens of Israel.Ìý

Despite the restrictions roughly 90,000 Muslim worshippers attended the prayers on Friday, according to the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs.

ÌýSimilar Israeli limitationsÌýenforced on Muslim worshippers last Ramadan.Ìý

The Muslim holy month comes this year amid a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and anÌýongoing Israeli military campaign in the West Bank.Ìý

The Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in Jerusalem's Old City, is Islam's third most holy site and is considered a symbol of Palestinian identity, suffering frequent raids by Israeli soldiers and extremists .

Israelis claim the site is the location of the Second Temple, referring to the area as Temple Mount. Some Israeli extremists seek to demolish the mosque and regularly raid the Muslim compound. Ìý

By longstanding tradition, Jews and other non-Muslims are permitted to visit the compound but are not allowed to pray at the site.Ìý

In recent years, an increasing number of Jewish extremists have challenged these restrictions, including far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who openly prayed at the site while serving as National Security Minister in 2023 and 2024.Ìý

The prayers on Friday took place amid a heavy Israeli police deployment in the Old City. 100 worshippers who were unable to enter Al-Aqsa due to the restrictions were left praying outside under the watch of Israeli police officers.Ìý

According to theÌýAnadolu news agency, the Israeli military increased its presence at checkpoints leading to Jerusalem, conducting thorough checks of Palestinian IDs and denying entry to many due to a lack of special permits.Ìý

Palestinians from the West Bank highlighted the difficulties they face in trying to reach Al-Aqsa and expressed their frustrations with the ongoing restrictions. Ìý

65-year-old Palestinian woman Blanca Barakat, who was barred from crossing the Qalandia checkpoint in northern Jerusalem, condemned the Israeli government for permitting Israeli extremist settlers to enter Al-Aqsa freely while limiting access to Palestinians.Ìý

"This is our mosque, the site of our Prophet's ascension, peace be upon him," she told Anadolu.Ìý

"They should open all checkpoints and allow all Palestinians to enter Al-Aqsa and pray there."

Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher SheikhÌýEkrimaÌýSabri has released a statement following Friday’s events, emphasising that prayingÌýat the holy site is "an act of worship and a religious duty, and every able Muslim must travel to it, in support of it and to protect its blessed status".

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